Bill Proposes to Halt Cuba Oil Drilling in Gulf

Florida GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan is pulling out the stops to prevent Cuba from drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

Buchanan has introduced a bill to deny U.S. drilling permits to any company that works with the Castro government, Capitol Hill Cubans reports.

Vern Buchanan

Buchanan, whose district borders on the Gulf, said the Cuban drilling is planned for just 50 miles from the Florida coast. Spills would inevitably affect the United States which stands to gain nothing from the oilfield.

“Any spills would only take three days to reach the U.S. coast, and Cuba has neither the resources nor the technology to handle a spill. Worse, the United States would bear the brunt of the environmental and economic devastation of such a spill, while receiving no financial benefit from the oil drilling whatsoever," according to Buchanan.

Buchanan pointed out that the Spanish oil giant Repsol is working with the Cubans. If his bill became law it would severely affect Repsol’s investments in the U.S. section of the Gulf and in Alaska.

“Repsol has previously backed off projects with Iran when faced with similar pressure,” said Buchanan.

Florida GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan is pulling out the stops to prevent Cuba from drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
Buchanan has introduced a bill to deny U.S. drilling permits to any company that works with the Castro government, Capitol Hill Cubans...